As her new album continues to roll through the charts, Adele has matched Madonna as the female solo act with the most consecutive weeks at No 1. 21, released in January, has now spent nine weeks at the top of the album charts – tying the record set by Madonna's greatest hits collection more than two decades ago.

At just 22 years old, Adele is on a commercial tear. Last month, she became the first act since the Beatles to have two top five singles and two top five albums in the charts at the same time. This week, not only is 21 still at peak position on the album charts – her debut record, 19, released about two years ago, remains at No 2. 21 sold 56,000 copies last week, according to the Official Charts Company, bringing total sales to 1,496,588.

It's an enormous accomplishment for a second album, but Adele still has a long way to go beat the all-time heavy-hitters. Although Madonna holds the record for the most consecutive weeks at No 1 by a female solo act, the Beatles' Please Please Me spent 30 weeks in the top slot. The all-time record-holder, the original South Pacific soundtrack, spent 70 weeks at the top of the UK album charts. To match this record, 21 would have to stay at No 1 well into 2012.

On the bright side, Adele's new single, Someone Like You, is back at No 1 after playing second fiddle for a week to Nicole Scherzinger's Don't Hold Your Breath.

Adele also has two other singles in the top 40, and is enjoying success in the American charts, after topping Billboard's album chart last week.